Goodaye Flem, I'm a newbie too but have been sailing for a long time. You sound like a big bloke (Aussie for man) so ditch the davits and pull the dinghy on board. Davits get in the way of everything and put unnecessary weight on the tail end of your lovely Tartan. I'm a small boat bloke too, you don't want to spoil the lovely lines that Mr Tartan put on your pretty little boat, and boats trimmed to the stern tend to steer like a dogs hind leg. I like your 12 point plan, I think mine is about a 100. One little thought that might help, is I've been spending a lot of time in Hiking stores lately. If your boat is like mine, storage and weight make a lot of difference to trim and space. Hiking stores have a lot of light small stuff to make your boat function but not displace a ton. Regards Cocosshane

Thanks, Cocosshane...and goodaye to you, sir. That's the kind of advice I was hoping for, without being sure how to ask for it. I have an 8' hard Walker Bay dinghy, and can stow it on the foredeck. But it is nigh impossible to work around the dinghy there. And it's certainly less-than safe to do so.

Also, the boat doesn't have a roller-furler, so hanking on the jib is tough sledding for a beefy big bloke. I wonder if it's much safer to hank on before casting off?

Perhaps my quandary is also, do I swap the hard Walker for a stowable, inflatabletender, or invest in a roller-furler? Or neither, or both?

My name is Jeff, and I'm a Tartan 30C owner, and it's been 14 days since my last sail.

I'll be trying to learn enough to ask smart questions about OpenCPN, dinghy davits, analyzing weather windows, mounting a radar dome and integrating with system, how/when to use a sea anchor (vs. a drogue?), and how beefy a feller is too beefy for hauling oneself aloft in a bosun's chair.

Recently, I made a sucky video about my first year owning a sailboat. I tried to edit the video to make it less sucky...but, apparently, you have to reconnect all three thumb-drives and the Kodak Playsport vidcam in exactly the same arrangement (I suppose) to be able to fix it. The easier solution would be to start over, so sucky it shall remain.

Thanks, Cocosshane...and goodaye to you, sir. That's the kind of advice I was hoping for, without being sure how to ask for it. I have an 8' hard Walker Bay dinghy, and can stow it on the foredeck. But it is nigh impossible to work around the dinghy there. And it's certainly less-than safe to do so.

Also, the boat doesn't have a roller-furler, so hanking on the jib is tough sledding for a beefy big bloke. I wonder if it's much safer to hank on before casting off?

Perhaps my quandary is also, do I swap the hard Walker for a stowable, inflatable tender, or invest in a roller-furler? Or neither, or both?

To be fair... You inferred you were "going to" ask questions....

If you want advice on matters from a few... meaning the guys who have this thread subscribed... ask away here! (there's probably enough) BUT... If you want answers from the whole audience... Nobody is going to read through an entire thread of us joking around looking for the "what kind of furler?" post in this thread....

Nothing wrong with doing both either !

BTW found this... Looks like you could take some canvas and furler from the whole listing, leave him the mast and boom to keep selling....

I had the fortunate experience to be invited as crew to Mexico by Celestial Sailor. I'm not big but I'm old and trying to move around the dinghy on the foredeck was extremely difficult. Great dinghy but it's bow did not curve inward like a Walker Bay. Look up Livingston.

He had a great homemade system for raising and lowering the dinghy as well as raising and lowering the 6hp 4 cycle engine.

A nesting dinghy might the answer. There is one advertised here locally but I'm in Hawaii so might not be worth the trouble to look into it.

Hi Flem, there are a lot of advantages to hard dinghys and probably just as many disadvantages. I don't want to start a debate here as I have learned in sailing and indeed many other sports that everyone has a view, and by and large for what its worth they are all of value. From my perspective I like a foredeck free of obstructions and tripping points. I sailed across Bass Straight once with a hard dinghy on the foredeck and the moment we started taking green in the big swells I was worried about losing it. Every time we went forward to change a jib down, I was worried about losing crew off the boat. The bloody thing got in the way of lifelines on the lazy jacks, caused tripping and was a pain. On little boats I find space is a premium, so for me its the dear old inflatable now. They are not perfect, row terribly, pretty wet, but very convenient. As for hanks, I like them a lot. Sure you need to lubricate them regularly but they set and drop well and unlike racing foils when you drop the sail they keep the sail attached to the boat which can be handy when you stuff up. You could try hanking on before you set sail and putting a couple of sail ties around the unset sail so it doesn't attempt to set itself. The other writer has a good point, the views in this thread are to a small audience so if you want more the forum may offer you more suggestions. Hope this helps
Cocosshane

Yes, correct, and thanks. I was just still lamenting that I have a lot of questions, and that they overlap in such a way as to make asking any of them, without asking all of them, kind of unproductive.

Cocosshane did stumble on one un-asked, that of "why better to not use davits on my boat".

I do plan to ask those refined and specific questions, as you'd advised, to the general forum. But, I hope/plan to accompany the questions with some pix and details that aren't at my fingertips yet.

Thanks also for the heads-up regarding the furler parts. Looks interesting, but NY is a fer piece to drive.

I had the fortunate experience to be invited as crew to Mexico by Celestial Sailor. I'm not big but I'm old and trying to move around the dinghy on the foredeck was extremely difficult. Great dinghy but it's bow did not curve inward like a Walker Bay. Look up Livingston.

He had a great homemade system for raising and lowering the dinghy as well as raising and lowering the 6hp 4 cycle engine.

A nesting dinghy might the answer. There is one advertised here locally but I'm in Hawaii so might not be worth the trouble to look into it.

Hi Flem, there are a lot of advantages to hard dinghys and probably just as many disadvantages. I don't want to start a debate here as I have learned in sailing and indeed many other sports that everyone has a view, and by and large for what its worth they are all of value. From my perspective I like a foredeck free of obstructions and tripping points. I sailed across Bass Straight once with a hard dinghy on the foredeck and the moment we started taking green in the big swells I was worried about losing it. Every time we went forward to change a jib down, I was worried about losing crew off the boat. The bloody thing got in the way of lifelines on the lazy jacks, caused tripping and was a pain. On little boats I find space is a premium, so for me its the dear old inflatable now. They are not perfect, row terribly, pretty wet, but very convenient. As for hanks, I like them a lot. Sure you need to lubricate them regularly but they set and drop well and unlike racing foils when you drop the sail they keep the sail attached to the boat which can be handy when you stuff up. You could try hanking on before you set sail and putting a couple of sail ties around the unset sail so it doesn't attempt to set itself. The other writer has a good point, the views in this thread are to a small audience so if you want more the forum may offer you more suggestions. Hope this helps
Cocosshane

Yes, Cocosshane, that helps a lot.

An underlying part of my problem is that I haven't even found the time to try rowing the Walker around the marina. Just always seems to have been, thus far, more pressing business. So, I'd be well served to at least put her through the paces before I go brainstorming on how to replace her. I am a big feller, and no longer so young. But, I am strong and still pretty agile.

I will try hanking on and binding the jib before leaving the dock next time. Any reason I wouldn't also lash the un-raised jib to the near lifelines?

I have to be able to single-hand the boat, so I'm starting to think a roller-furler might be more necessity (safety-wise) than luxury.

I had the fortunate experience to be invited as crew to Mexico by Celestial Sailor. I'm not big but I'm old and trying to move around the dinghy on the foredeck was extremely difficult. Great dinghy but it's bow did not curve inward like a Walker Bay. Look up Livingston.

He had a great homemade system for raising and lowering the dinghy as well as raising and lowering the 6hp 4 cycle engine.

A nesting dinghy might the answer. There is one advertised here locally but I'm in Hawaii so might not be worth the trouble to look into it.

I have a photo of the homemade engine crane somewhere but Celestialsailor can give you specifics if you like.

And now he's temporarily broken too... If you invite SkipJ along, you'll now need to have something that you can bolt a "footrest" on... Like a spare oarlock or bow roller.... Plus he's probably going to request a gunnel mounted cupholder for his beverages...

Nesting dingys have always intrigued me....

Quote:

Originally Posted by cocosshane

Hi Flem, there are a lot of advantages to hard dinghys and probably just as many disadvantages. I don't want to start a debate here as I have learned in sailing and indeed many other sports that everyone has a view, and by and large for what its worth they are all of value. From my perspective I like a foredeck free of obstructions and tripping points. I sailed across Bass Straight once with a hard dinghy on the foredeck and the moment we started taking green in the big swells I was worried about losing it. Every time we went forward to change a jib down, I was worried about losing crew off the boat. The bloody thing got in the way of lifelines on the lazy jacks, caused tripping and was a pain. On little boats I find space is a premium, so for me its the dear old inflatable now. They are not perfect, row terribly, pretty wet, but very convenient. As for hanks, I like them a lot. Sure you need to lubricate them regularly but they set and drop well and unlike racing foils when you drop the sail they keep the sail attached to the boat which can be handy when you stuff up. You could try hanking on before you set sail and putting a couple of sail ties around the unset sail so it doesn't attempt to set itself. The other writer has a good point, the views in this thread are to a small audience so if you want more the forum may offer you more suggestions. Hope this helps
Cocosshane

1) With a combo of mainly coastal, and a furler... There would be rare jib changes... 2) You mean tethers and jacklines... 3) That's what jib bags are for....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flem.S.Coyle

Yes, correct, and thanks. I was just still lamenting that I have a lot of questions, and that they overlap in such a way as to make asking any of them, without asking all of them, kind of unproductive.

Cocosshane did stumble on one un-asked, that of "why better to not use davits on my boat".

I do plan to ask those refined and specific questions, as you'd advised, to the general forum. But, I hope/plan to accompany the questions with some pix and details that aren't at my fingertips yet.

Thanks also for the heads-up regarding the furler parts. Looks interesting, but NY is a fer piece to drive.

Not a worry... just tryin' ta help! Personally I think yer better off separately posting the questions that can be... NY definitely is a ways... Just an example of what could be found... If you were closer, 1400 for the whole rig implies to me that the furling parts and sails could be had for around $300

__________________In the harsh marine environment, something is always in need of repair...

And now he's temporarily broken too... If you invite SkipJ along, you'll now need to have something that you can bolt a "footrest" on... Like a spare oarlock or bow roller.... Plus he's probably going to request a gunnel mounted cupholder for his beverages...

Nesting dingys have always intrigued me....

1) With a combo of mainly coastal, and a furler... There would be rare jib changes... 2) You mean tethers and jacklines... 3) That's what jib bags are for....

Not a worry... just tryin' ta help! Personally I think yer better off separately posting the questions that can be... NY definitely is a ways... Just an example of what could be found... If you were closer, 1400 for the whole rig implies to me that the furling parts and sails could be had for around $300

I truly never would have believed how inconvenient it is to have a broken foot. It gets in the way of everything. Can't go aboard the boat or any of the club boats, can't get it wet (according to the Doc). It's been about 3 weeks but feels like I've been laid up for months.

My recommendation is that you do not under any circumstances break your foot, or leg, or any other bone. Well, maybe a finger or toe is ok. White likker will make it feel better but definitely will set you back as far healing time if you do dance too much.

The Livingston looks good, as does the nesting dinghy. You'd have to cover that nesting cedar, though, correct?

I really did like the idea of mounting a small outboard on the Walker and hoisting it all behind the stern like a backpack, but now I see the folly in that.

They make nesting dinghies in fiberglass too. If its wood you'd have to keep a good coat of paint on it always. Your foredeck isn't wide enough for a Livingston.

Roller furling is a great luxury to have and keeps you from having to go up on the foredeck when you really don't want to or is unsafe to. That is a modern system that has really been a plus after it had all the bugs worked out of it. Early ones had a few problems so get a more recent edition if you're going to purchase one.

SkiprJohn, I'll have to keep an eye out for nesting FG dinks. Thanks. And I concur about the broken anything...mighty inconvenient. I've had broken fingers, metacarpal, arm, collar-bone and snot-box (3X). Dislocated a hip and tore a hammy fly-fishing in the Big Toe River in '12, too. My solution is to rub some dirt on it and get back in the game. White likker helps too.

HappyMdR, funny you should mention NY and salvaged Tartan parts. I recently contacted a sailor seller who advertised his whole very-similar T30. If he doesn't otherwise find a taker for her, we may be able to make a deal that has me driving to NY, anyway. But, if I do that, I'm pulling a trailer and bringing back lots more than a roller furler.